The Neuropathology Core was established during the first grant cycle of the Massachusetts ADRC, and will continue during years 06 to 10. The overall goals of the Neuropathology Core are to establish a neuropathological diagnosis on all brains submitted to the Core; to maintain the Tissue Resource Center of the Neuropathology Core as a source of brain tissue for investigators studying AD; to characterize thoroughly the brains of patients enrolled in the Clinical Core Units with regional quantitative morphometric, histochemical, and biochemical analyses; and to facilitate clinical-pathological correlative studies of histological, neurochemical, and neuropsychiatric aspects of AD. In order to accomplish these goals, we developed a standardized protocol of tissue acquisition and section procedures that ensures complete and reproducible examinations. Samples of regional brain tissue are prepared according to the specific needs of individual ADRC investigators; the Tissue Resource Center maintains adequate supplies of both formalin-fixed and deep frozen brain tissue. Clinical, general pathological, and neuropathological data from each case submitted to the Tissue Resource Center are stored in the central ADRC Brain REgistry. The database also contains information on tissue that is available for distribution to specific research projects.